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State of Logistics 2016: Pursue mutual benefit Don’t bet on economic growth between now and 2019, says FTR’s Perry MAPI economist touts jobs growth but notes economy has ways to go XPO warehouse workers file for Teamster representation August retail sales are down compared to July and up annually, reports Commerce and NRF More Logistics News E-commerce: Time for shippers to commit to a strategic direction Thursday, September 22, 2016 | 2PM ET All Resources FTR Senior Partner Noel Perry noted at his firm’s transportation conference in Indianapolis last week that average recovery growth for GDP continues to decline, from 7 percent in 1950 to 1 percent in 2016, which means that there will not be much help coming from economic growth over the next 2-3 years, with a best case scenario being 2-3 percent growth during that span. “No matter what Janet Yellen, or the next President wishes about when it comes to the economy, it ain’t gonna happen,” he told the audience of 400 freight transportation and logistics professionals. As for the things that drive freight, Perry said that historically freight lags GDP even during a recovery. But as GDP increased by 2.1 percent in the most recent economic recovery, modal recoveries varied, with trucking at 3 percent, while rail, intermodal, and barge fell 8 percent, 4 percent, and a little over 6 percent, respectively. With downside economic exposures greater than upside ones, Perry said that means economists are more worried than optimistic, telling the audience that in their strategic company outlooks they should be planning for a recession in the next 3 years. “We are now equal to the fourth longest recovery on record…while most recoveries are over already,” he said. “The good news is two of those recoveries are longer than what we have had […]